Motor dealers seek Senate’s intervention in tariff increase

Forum 7 years ago

Motor dealers seek Senate’s intervention in tariff increase

Worried about what it called high tariff by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on import duty and the Federal Government proposed ban on importation of used vehicles into the country, the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria, AMDON, has written to the Senate, seeking the latter’s intervention with a view to finding a lasting solution..

The association, which claimed that its members can no longer import cars into the country again following the increment of tariff by the Customs from 35 to 70 percent on every imported car, they also complained that the proposed ban on used vehicles otherwise known as “Tokunbo cars” into the country was not only aimed at creating hardship for its members, but also raising the level of unemployment in the country.

In a letter addressed to the Upper Chamber, through the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, obtained by newsmen, the body sought urgent intervention of the legislature, saying the two issues had negative toll on them besides millions of people who work under them to earn their living.

The letter, signed by the National President of the association, Ajibola Adedoyin, specifically requested the Senate to make a legislation ensuring not only perfect provision of rail system, but also power in the country before the take-off of the proposed ban on fairly used vehicles. He equally sought urgent review of the tariff regime to encourage importation of used cars for the reach of average Nigerians who, it noted, cannot afford Nigeria-assembled cars.
Adedoyin, who confirmed the authorship of the letter to the legislature, said the organisation had equally written for a meeting with the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly, to address some “burning issues affecting work of members.”

He said the national leadership in conjunction with the state executive members of the association had just held a meeting aimed at taking a common position that would be presented.

Adedoyin said: “ We know that the work of the Senate is to legislate. And it is a very important part of this country. So, when we wrote them, we want them to know what and what has to be done with this policy.

“What want them to know what it takes because legislators are the representatives of the people, so that they will know what the policy is all about and that it’s urgently needed to be reviewed? And that whatever has been placed as an impediment to stop this inflow of vehicles into this country, must be immediately removed.”

According to him:” The burning issue here is the policy of the Federal Government of trying to ban importation of tokunbo vehicles which by so means, it has made all imported cars to be out of the reach of average Nigerians.

‘“We have just concluded our national executive meeting and we have been on this issue for the past two to three years and before the last regime left, we made it abundantly clear that the policy for now.